One of my favorite Scripture passages is about Jesus washing the feet of His disciples at the Last Supper. It is only shared in John’s Gospel, and his is the only one that does not chronicle the other events of the Last Supper. Something I had not seen before caught my attention this year.
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. –John 13:1-17 (NIV)
Photo courtesy 0f Church Iglesia under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)
Whenever a worship service has a foot washing event, I always want to participate in it. I know people usually do not prefer participating in foot washing. I find it an honor to put myself in Jesus’ presence as a disciple and visualize Him serving me personally because of His great love for me.
Why did Jesus wash His disciples’ feet?
*To show His great love for them.
*To demonstrate being a humble servant.
*To symbolize our need for a spiritual cleansing.
*To set forth the principle of selfless service that would be exemplified on the cross.
*To show us what we are to do for others.
I never considered the reason “to symbolize our need for a spiritual cleansing” with Jesus’ response to Peter, saying, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” I believe Jesus’ words go beyond the external washing of the disciples’ feet; I believe there is a spiritual cleansing symbolism. This comes from the cleansing in the waters of baptism as well as the cleansing of Jesus’ blood that He shed for us on that first Good Friday. Ultimately, Peter, just like us, needs both spiritual cleansings from Jesus.
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. –1 John 5:6 (NIV)
Jesus knew at the foot washing that His time to walk in obedience to God’s plan of salvation for the world through His death on a cross was quickly approaching. He was preparing His disciples for life without Him and teaching them to carry out the mission He began. A spiritual cleansing was necessary in their ministry, just as Jesus experienced. Jesus’ public ministry began with John, His cousin, baptizing Him in the Jordan River and ended with His crucifixion on the cross, when He shed His blood.
Photo courtesy of Church Iglesia under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)
Let’s look at the ending of the original Scripture passage:
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Jesus was calling His disciples and us, too, to go forth and follow His example of washing others’ feet. That is why Jesus gave us the example and told us we, too, would be blessed if we walk in obedience.
How is God calling you to wash others’ feet?
*By having you pray for and love the person who has hurt you?
*By bringing some necessities to the homeless person you see on the street?
*By sharing the Gospel with someone who does not know the Lord?
*By giving of your time or talent to help someone who is in need?
As God works in our lives, I “happened” to pen these thoughts before going to a foot washing event in the evening. It has always bothered me that people usually only wash one foot instead of both. When I participated in the event last year, I felt like it wasn’t complete with only one foot. We know Jesus definitely washed both of His disciples’ feet. This year I found myself slipping both feet in the bowl when it was my turn. It was a sacred encounter when, while washing my feet, the person looked into my eyes and smiled. I saw Jesus’ love for me in his eyes. The person then cupped his hands around my feet as he wrapped the towel around them and kissed one foot. I experienced Jesus’ love embracing me through the holding of my feet. I felt complete and immersed in oneness with the Lord as I closed my eyes and listened to the beautiful music that was being sung. It was a sacred moment with the Lord.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Ludwig under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Be encouraged this week to see how you can live out…
…loving others with Jesus’ unconditional love.
…how Jesus is calling you to be a humble servant.
…receiving Jesus’ spiritual cleansing of water and His blood.
…following Jesus’ principle of selfless service to others.
…following Jesus’ example of foot washing in others’ lives.
A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. –Luke 7:37-38 (NIV)